


Pollux

by SirJosephBanksFRS



Category: Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-09
Updated: 2013-05-09
Packaged: 2017-12-10 20:38:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/789915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirJosephBanksFRS/pseuds/SirJosephBanksFRS
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set between <i>Desolation Island</i> and  <i>The Fortune of War</i>, this is the tale of what happened to Babbington's Newfoundland dog and why Babbington finally stopped going to bawdy houses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pollux

Five weeks out from Pulo Batang, Lieutenant William Babbington received a summons to Captain Aubrey's sanctum sanctorum, the great cabin, in the miserable old _Leopard_. Babbington had an idea of what the summons pertained to and hoped that he was wrong. He had brought a Newfoundland puppy he named Pollux on board with him at the outset of the cruise and now the dog weighed eleven stone and was still growing. It had a voracious appetite and a tendency to drool copiously everywhere. Babbington had taught Pollux many tricks and he learnt many more by himself. Babbington was very fond of him and Pollux followed him everywhere unless directed to act as a guard dog.  
  
“Mr. Babbington,” Jack said, “It has come to my attention that your Newfoundland dog has become somewhat of a menace.” Babbington coloured. “Really, William, I should think you would know better. I felt quite lucky to have you as third on this commission, but that infernal animal has been up to some jackdaw tricks. Is the report that I received that it broke into the bread room true?” Babbington looked at the floor.  
  
“I don't know if “broke in” is quite the right word, sir.”  
  
“How did it come to be in the bread room then?”  
  
“Someone may have left the door ajar and Pollux slipped in.” Babbington said, hesitantly. He knew he would be incurring the wrath of Jack Dusty, the custodian of the bread room, for implying dereliction of duty by leaving the bread room door unsecured. Babbington had no idea if Pollux had, in fact, broken in, but he thought it unlikely without any physical evidence, such as the door being chewed or ripped off of the hinges. Jack frowned. “Pollux is very friendly and gentle, sir. He never would harm a fly. Someone gave him ship's biscuit and he knows that it is stored in the bread room. I am certain that he did not, in fact, break into the room.”  
  
“William, we barely have enough stores to make it to Pulo Batang. We do not have enough for a dog the size of an elephant to eat his fill at will.” Babbington's head hung in shame. “I am made to understand that Pollux also has a habit of drink. I understand that he ran to the barrel during “Nancy Dawson,” stood up on his back paws and helped himself to grog. The men took it unkindly that they had to drink after your dog took his share.”  
  
“Sir, that is not my doing. Some of the men thought it amusing to give him first small beer and then grog. I told them to let off. I worry for him. He could drink enough to become quite ill. The Doctor has been good enough to give him physic. I believe, too, that they sought to make him derelict in his duty.”  
  
“Indeed? And what duty should that be, Lieutenant?”  
  
“He will guard the blue cutter, sir.” Jack considered that. “Pollux is a noble animal, sir. He is loyal and gentle and quite clever. He did save the Doctor from drowning when we were on Desolation Island. He will save any member of the crew that has not been exceedingly cross with him. And he did personally protect your stores when Mr. Grant was leaving in the launch. He couldn’t protect the spirit room because he was protecting your stores.”  
  
“Did he, William?” Jack said. “Well, that was most handsome of him. What do you feed him, by the way?”  
  
“Odds and ends, Sir. He will eat most anything.”  
  
“So I understand.” Jack said. Babbington saw his Captain did not find this trait a virtue.  
  
“I meant things that we cannot eat sir, such as fish that end up dead on the deck. He is most prodigiously handy for keeping the deck clean.”  
  
“Well, keep him away from the bread room, then,” Jack said. He had a soft spot for dogs himself, though he had not had one since he was a little chap.  
  
  
Three weeks later, Stephen Maturin lifted the decanter and poured himself a glass of port as he finished a cigar in the great cabin.  
  
“Jack, I must protest this illiberal liberty that you have allowed the crew.” Stephen said. “No good will come of it.”  
  
“Stephen, this has been a miserable, miserable cruise. We have only stopped here because you insisted upon it to get green stuff to prevent them from all dropping dead of scurvy before we raise Pulo Batang. My God, you cannot protest the men some time on solid ground after what we have been through. If I denied it to them, I would have a mutiny on my hands. These are the Friendly Islands, after all.”  
  
“The fact that the word “friendly” is in the name is quite my point, Jack.” Stephen said, drily.

“I don't quite smoke your meaning.” Jack said frowning.

“Pox. As bad as I have seen anywhere. As bad or worse than any foul port we have ever put into.”  
  
“I see.” Jack said, somewhat taken aback.  
  
“You would think they have never seen a woman. I have never seen such a group of infernal whoremasters. It is a disgrace. And I do not say that lightly. I am no moralist. It is a matter of their health. Their teeth that are left from the scurvy will be falling out from the pox.”  
  
“Stephen, how bad could it be?”  
  
“I was told that yesterday, Babbington sold Pollux to a brothel to be eaten in exchange for services rendered,” Stephen said. “I say this not to inform, Jack. I am not an informer. It is a miracle he has any teeth left at this point, he’s been poxed so many times.”  
  
“Stephen, surely you jest!” Jack cried.  
  
“I do not, sir. “ Jack strode to the door of the great cabin.  
  
“Pass the word for Mr. Babbington,” Jack said savagely. He closed the door. He turned to Stephen saying, ”This shan’t take a minute, Stephen. Wait outside the door, if you please.” Stephen made his way out the door and stood outside. In less than two minutes, Babbington smiled at the Doctor and nodded as he opened the door and went in. Stephen could hear them speaking clearly as the door closed.  
  
Babbington was taken aback by the severity of Captain Aubrey's visage.  
  
“Lieutenant Babbington, I am given to understand that you took your dog, Pollux, on liberty with you yesterday. Is that correct?” Jack's voice was cold and furious. Babbington's face turned red as a beet. He was silent. “Is that correct, sir?” Jack roared.  
  
“Yes, sir,” Babbington said, very quietly.  
  
“Where is Pollux now?” Babbington again was silent. Jack noticed a tear was running down his face.  
  
“Sir,” Babbington stammered, “He was et.”  
  
“By whom?”  
  
“I don't know, sir.”  
  
“I have it on reliable authority that there was a bawdy house involved.”  
  
“Oh, sir, it was all a misunderstanding. I was walking in Nukuʻalofa and a young person came up to me whilst I was walking Pollux and started talking to me. I did not understand her meaning and we walked over to a very fine sort of an inn and she asked me a question about Pollux and I said yes. I thought she wanted to show him to some other young persons or something like that, since they had never seen such a huge dog. Sir, I had no idea! I swear to you!”  
  
“William, did you...” Captain Aubrey sighed, “did you engage in fornication with this young person?” Babbington answered in a whisper.  
  
“Yes, sir.”  
  
“Before or after they ate Pollux?”  
  
“I don't rightly know, sir.” Tears ran down Babbington's face, copiously. “Sir, I would never have -- I mean I had no idea! She was a most genteel young person. I had no idea that they would eat Pollux. If I had known, I would never have lain with her! I swear, sir! I did not know what I was doing. I thought that she fancied me.”  
  
“William,” Jack said kindly and he touched Babbington's shoulder, “We have discussed this many times now. Dr. Maturin has discussed it with you. Your fondness for bawdy houses and the fairer sex will be your ruination. For shame, William. Poor Pollux.” Tears streamed down Babbington’s face, to Jack’s alarm.  
  
“He was a good dog.” Babbington wept.   
  
“Pray collect yourself, William.” Jack said, sighing. “I think this is best addressed by you discussing it with the Doctor. Perhaps he can explain the root issues far better than I. Shall he come in?”  
  
“Yes, sir.” Jack opened the door and beckoned to Stephen. Stephen came in.  
  
“Doctor, Lieutenant Babbington needs to see you about his last liberty.” Stephen looked at Babbington’s tear stained face.  
  
“There, there,” Stephen said kindly. “You shall go to the sick berth and I shall give you some physic. Now, go and see my surgeon's mate and tell him I shall be there shortly.” Stephen said, withdrawing a clean handkerchief from his pocket and giving it to Babbington, who blew his nose loudly and wiped his eyes. He patted Babbington's shoulder and led him to the door and Babbington left. Stephen closed the door and turned to Jack.  
  
“How long do you think he will stay away from brothels?” Stephen asked.  
  
“Perhaps one liberty. Perhaps. Perhaps not. Stephen, do you believe him? Did he knowingly trade Pollux to lie with a whore?"  
  
"Did he? I know not. Would he? I have seen him before in such a state that he would trade his own grandmother. Venus is especially cruel to the young. Faint heart never won fair lady, whether her love was vocation or avocation."  
  
"Indeed." Jack said.  
  
“The question really is did this intimate congress occur before or after he was informed of the disposition of Pollux. Would it be enough to cool his fervor? I doubt it.”  
  
“Surely not, Stephen. Surely he would not go ahead...”  
  
“Chastity would not bring Pollux back.” Stephen sighed. “I still remember him in Bombay with the strumpet he told me was a clergyman’s daughter. A clergyman’s daughter, forsooth. He never had a farthing in his pocket whenever he returned to the ship.” Jack laughed. “I think you see a lot of Jack Aubrey in that young man.”  
  
“I have my virtually all my teeth and I did not manage to stunt my growth, Stephen.”  
  
“Soul, you _are_ Lucky Jack.”  
  
“He was very fond of that dog,”Jack said thoughtfully. “Came and defended him to me most handsomely after he was found to have eaten up half of the bread room. He does it take it hard, poor lad. And the dog did save you from drowning, Stephen.”  
  
“He used that dog as his lookout when he was trying to obtain favors from Mrs. Wogan.”  
  
“God damn his eyes. He'll end up an admiral if he ain’t dead of the pox first.”  
  
“Somewhere, someone said those exact words about you,” Stephen said and Jack laughed.  
  
Stephen returned to the sick berth and found Babbington looking quite dejected. Stephen went to his store of drugs and gave Babbington a blue pill and a glass of water.   
  
“Doctor, I really did not know,” Babbington said. “I am not such a brute.” Stephen saw him holding back his tears.  
  
“William, you are no longer a youngster. I say this as an old shipmate and friend. Pray think of your health, William. I have known you boy and man. I am very sorry that you have lost Pollux. I say this not to preach or moralize to you. My blue pill can only do so much. I hate to see you destroy your youth and your health, two of the greatest gifts any man can possess.”  
  
“Doctor, I resolve over and over not to go on shore and seek out those young ladies and then I seem to always break my resolution. I should know better, I know. I think back on all the times you have seen me afterwards and I am quite ashamed. The Captain must think me a terrible fool.”  
  
“He thinks you are a very fine seaman and he was very happy to have you on this commission. Tacitus, the Roman Senator, wrote that experience is the best teacher. Unfortunately, it is also the most unforgiving,” Stephen said. “Many have had to learn far harsher lessons than you.”  
  
“Yes, sir,” Babbington said, standing up tall. “Thank you, sir. This time I shan’t forget.” He bobbed his head in farewell to the Doctor and left the sick berth to go back to his quarters.  
  
Babbington opened his sea chest and looked at the collar a shipmate had made for Pollux from braided tow. He wiped the tears from his eyes. “Goodbye, Pollux.” Babbington whispered, laying the collar in his sea chest and closing it, resolving that this time he would not forget.


End file.
